A Couple Masks and a Little Knockout Gas
by ElwynClark
Summary: Britt receives an official letter pertaining to a specific relative of his who he never even knew existed, and they may know too much for Britt's, and Kato's, liking. Part 1 of the 'Masks and Knockout Gas' series!
1. Britt's Letter

_Hey everybody, I'm back. I'll keep my blurbs short. Here's my new story! _-_EC_

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><p>Saturday August 6<p>

"Hornet mail!" Britt Reid declared as he plopped down at his desk. "What I live for." He mumbled to himself as he opened up the email on his laptop. Every day the Green Hornet would receive ominous threats and tips regarding the gangs of Los Angeles. Now that Chudnofsky was out of the way, it seemed as though everyone wanted to be stung by the hornet. Besides, ever since Britt turned the paper over to Axford he had mountains of free time again, just like in his crazy party phase. Britt only has to go to the Daily Sentinel a couple a days a week to maintain appearances pretty much. He has a place on the board but Lenore pretty much covers for him. She does a better job as a journalist as it is. He still has crazy parties all the time but now they're a cover up of his alter ego, The Green Hornet.

"Mail, Mr. Reid." One of the housekeepers said to Britt as she placed a stack of today's post on the corner of his huge desk. Britt minimized his screen on the laptop and looked at her.

"Jeez, knock next time Janet." Britt said defensively. The only other people who know that Britt is the Green Hornet are Lenore Case, Britt's secretary, and Kato, his bodyguard, driver, AND mechanic. No one else, who works in the Reid estate, knows why Britt is so paranoid sometimes and why he requires them to announce when they are coming into a room. But they're all loyal and Britt's thankful for that.

"Sorry sir." She mumbled. Britt nodded and grabbed the stack of mail. "Do you need anything else?"

"Yes. Where's Kato?" Britt asked as he flipped through the pile of mail. Junk, junk, Sports Illustrated, junk, National Inquirer, "Oh! I'm on the cover!" He looked at the picture of himself on front of the National Inquirer, it was from this past party he had. Some guests managed to set fire of a section of his front lawn. Britt laughed while looking at the picture of guests running away in terror from the flames. The fire only lasted two minutes but about a million pictures must have been taken.

"He's in the gym. Do you want me to get him?" Janet the housekeeper said breaking Britt's trance with the magazine.

"What?" Britt glanced back at his laptop then at Janet. "No, I'll go see him. You can go now." She left the room as silently as she arrived and Britt shuffled through the rest of the mail quickly then stacked all the envelopes together. He reopened his Hornet mail window and scrolled through the threats quickly. "Hrm, the Italians, the Brits, and the Nigerians. Good options tonight." He logged out and stood up quickly knocking the stack of envelopes off the desk and scattered across the floor. "Damn it." He mumbled as he gathered up a few of them then one of them caught his eye. The return address was from the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services. "What do they want?" Britt picked up the envelope and stood up slowly. He flipped it over a few times then walked out of the room to the gym.

"Hey Britt." Kato said as Britt walked into the very white gym. Britt shook away his last memory of this gym when Kato knocked him out by accident while he was teaching him self defense. Kato was in the center of the room near a punching bag dangling from the ceiling, which was about three times his size.

"Hey." Britt said and he sat down on the bench along the wall and started to tear open the envelope from the DCFS. "Doing anything tonight?" Kato's hands flew at the bag while he responded to Britt.

"I was gonna give Black Beauty 4 an oil change later, but that's it really." His right leg swung at the bag and it swayed bag and forth. Britt smirked at his maneuver.

"We got threats from the Nigerians, the Brits, and" he tried to remember the other group."Oh, and the Italians." Britt started to skim the letter from DCFS.

"Mr. Britt Reid," the letter inside read. "The Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services, DCFS, has done an in depth investigation of your affairs since your father's (James Reid) death."

"Oh shit, they know." Britt said then he reread the department name. "But why would they know?"

"How about the Italians?" Kato said over Britt's hushed tones.

"What Italians?" Britt asked Kato who was still attacking the bag.

"The ones who emailed you?" Kato wheezed between blows.

"Oh. Oh right! Those Italians. Yeah I'll email them later." Britt focused back on the letter.

"DCFS has found you competent enough to place you as the legal guardian of your sister, Alex Reid (Age 17) until she turns 18 on January 30, 2012 and is therefore a legal adult. You are hereby summoned to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court for a final hearing on this Thursday-" Britt stopped reading and dropped the paper on the floor.

"Britt!" Kato yelled and stopped harassing the bag and ran over to Britt. "What's wrong?"

"I have a court date." Britt said quietly.

"Oh no."Kato mumbled. His mind immediately went to the Green Hornet. He held his head in his hands. "We're dead."

"No Kato. Not that." Britt said and Kato looked at him. "Apparently, I have a sister."


	2. Alex's Letter

_Yeah, next chapter. It's right here. -EC_

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><p>Monday August 8<p>

"Get me out of here." Alex Reid mumbled to herself as she watched the little kids run the wild Indians around her. She ducked just as a kickball flew over her head. "Troy! You do that again, and you won't even be allowed to touch a kickball the rest of this summer!" She walked over to the dock on the lake and watched a couple kids a few years younger than her push each other in. Alex tried to remember how she got this stupid counselor job in the first place, because she sure as hell didn't volunteer. They appointed her because she's come to this stupid camp every summer for the whole summer the past 13 years. She sighed and realized that she has never had a summer vacation at home. Alex sat down on the edge of the dock and let her toes dangle in the water.

She tried to remember the last time she was even home. Home, she thought to herself and laughed. That's a good one. She didn't classify that mansion her father owns in LA as her home, her summer camp here and the multiple boarding schools she's been to have been better homes. She thought about her dad, a newspaper tycoon who has so much money he just sent her away.

"I don't even know him." She mumbled as she chased a Jesus bug on the water with her foot. Her mind floated to thinking of her mom. Her mom died after giving birth to her so in a sense she killed her but she takes it as a missed opportunity that she never got to know her. That nanny in the huge mansion was a mother to her. Alex tried to even remember her name but she could only remember the name of her dad's mechanic who let her in the house last time, Henry. "I think." She said quietly out loud. All she could remember about the mansion was a lot of big rooms, a lot of silence, although a lot of noise came from the guest house at night, and amazing coffee brought to her bedside every morning.

"Alex!" Someone yelled from behind her suddenly and she jumped then turned her head slowly.

"Yeah?" Alex yelled back and saw one of the other counselors, Sammy, waving at her.

"Chris wants to see you." They yelled back and Alex sighed. Chris was the camp director and was good friends with Alex, because she's been coming for so long and she's sometimes a trouble maker.

"I wonder what I did this time," Alex muttered under her breath then was swept off the dock into the water. She screamed once she broke the surface again and saw a couple other counselors her age, Pete and Ben, swimming away. "You guys are dead!" She yelled as she started swimming after them.

"Alex!" Sammy yelled as she ran down the hill and stopped at the dock. "Where are you going?"

"They pulled me in!" Alex yelled as she was treading water while looking at Sammy on the dock. Sammy shrugged and watched as Alex went back to pursuing Pete and Ben, who made it to the beach by now. She reached the beach a split second after them and picked up a towel off the beach as she ran to catch them. The two boys raced up the hill. Alex saw Sammy start to run in front of them and stopped them. Alex caught up and stopped right behind them.

"Alright, I'll go see Chris." Alex said and she whipped both of the boys with the towel she was carrying.

"That was uncalled for!" Ben yelped as he got whacked.

"So was pulling me into the lake!" Alex yelled. Pete started to respond.

"Hey, everyone, come on." Chris said as he walked up to us from the main office building. "All of you to my office. Now."

"She started it." Pete said after a silence.

"You guys clearly pulled her into the lake." Chris stated as they reached the office building and walked through the open doorway. "Sammy, Pete, and Ben, wait here. I have to talk to Alex first."

"Oooh." Ben and Pete chorused as they sat down on the assorted outdoor furniture pieces in the waiting room.

"Oh shut up." Sammy said as she sat down as far away from them as possible. Alex followed Chris into his office and shut the door behind her. Chris sat down behind his desk and Alex took a seat in an actual chair, not some random outdoor furniture piece.

"So, how are you doing Alex?" Chris asked as he searched for something in one of the drawers of his desk.

"Relatively fine I guess." Alex responded with shrug. "I mean I was just pulled into a lake."

"You were weren't you?" Chris put an envelope on his desk.

"Yup. And I'm utterly soaked. You seriously must be blind right now if you can't see that. Hey am I in trouble for something?"

"No, you're not actually."

"Actually." Alex mimicked and rolled her eyes.

"You received a letter in the mail today."

"No I didn't. We got post at lunch and I didn't get anything."  
>"That's because I kept it here."<p>

"Why'd you keep it? It's my mail."

"I know that. It was addressed from the Department of Child and Family Services in LA though. And we're required by law to intervene and make sure a letter of the nature isn't lost."

"Oh." Alex said quietly. "Well can I see it at least?" Chris handed her a sealed envelope.

"We're also required to respect your confidentiality and only you could open it." Alex ripped it open with her finger then tossed the envelope on the ground. She read the letter inside to herself.

"Miss Alex Reid," the letter read. "The Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services, DCFS, has found you a proper legal guardian, Britt Reid (age 26), who is in direct relation to you, brother. Legal arrangements had to be made for your father (James Reid) had no direction in his will of who would be your guardian if he was to die. Mr. Reid will be your legal guardian until you turn age 18 on January 30, 2012. You are due to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court for a final hearing on Thursday,"

"Alex what's wrong?" Chris asked as he watched her grow paler reading the letter.

"My dad died." She whispered. Chris leaned forward to hear her better. "My dad." She said a little bit louder.

"What happened?" Chris asked and he stood up.

"He died and," Alex looked back at the letter and the word 'brother' jumped out at her. "I have a brother apparently."

"Alex?" Chris almost yelled as she fell forward out of the chair and landed face down on the floor. "Oh my god." He ran around her trying to remember what to do with a person when they have just fainted.


	3. A Little Misunderstanding

_Pfffh. I really don't have anything to say here... - EC_

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><p>Wednesday August 10<p>

"It's still bugging me Kato. I mean, she's apparently my sister and I've never met her before and it's weird because I have to be her legal guardian because dad died." Britt rambled on as he watched Kato bent over the engine of Black Beauty Number 5.

"Are you gonna meet her before you go to the hearing at least?" Kato asked without looking up from his work.

"I don't think so. I didn't arrange anything and I don't think Lenore did. She would have told me." Britt repositioned his sitting position on the chair from Kato's workbench. "How am I supposed to take car of someone else Kato if I can barely take care of myself! I feed myself easy mac almost every night, because it's easy. And it's cheesy!" Kato rolled his eyes at this comment. Britt easily overlooked the fact that he had a mini army of hired help, which included Kato. He's technically Britt's bodyguard and driver when Britt has to go out in public. Britt also comes to enjoy his company too as a friend.

"That's a shame Britt, you make good easy mac too." Kato said with a twinge of sarcasm as he walked over to a tool chest.

"I know! It's so easy!" Britt responded, not catching Kato's sarcasm. "You need like zero cooking skills to make it."

"And you have zero skills," Kato mumbled to himself as he looked for the 3/8ths of an inch wrench.

"What?"

"Nothing, just looking for a wrench." Kato said as he picked up the correct one. "Can you pass me that Philip's head behind you?" Kato pointed to the screwdriver on the bench behind Britt. He noticed the Hornet gun sitting next to it and grabbed it along with the screwdriver.

"I mean what do I even say about this?" Britt said as he waved about the gun. Kato shrugged and grabbed the screwdriver from Britt's other hand before her poked his eye out. A door slammed in the big garage, probably from the stairs going to the house. Britt and Kato both whipped their heads towards the workshop door, which lead into the big garage.

"What was that?" Kato asked and Britt shrugged. They both walked over stealthily to the door and peered out slowly. A girl with light honey brown hair was looking at the cars closely, as if she was trying to decode them.

"Eh, probably just some girl who thought we were special. Give us a minute Kato." Kato shrugged and walked back to his engine as Britt tucked the Hornet gun into the back of his pants. Britt walked out into the garage. "Hey!"

"Oh, Jeez." She said startled. Britt noticed that she was definitely younger than him. "Hey, are you Britt?"

"Yes. I am Britt Reid. This is my garage. Who are you beautiful? Wait don't answer that. Yeah, you're beautiful but have I ever danced with you?" Britt rambled.

"Um, no." She answered.

"How 'bout, drank with you?"

"No."

"Really, no? I drink with everyone. That's weird. Hm, got one. Have I ever shown you this garage and gotten yelled at by my dad with you?"

"No." She said after a pause as if she actually thought about it. "Dad did that?"

"Yes, my father did that to me but anyways. Oh, I think I might have a winner with this one. Have I ever had sex with you?"

"EW NO BRITT!" She yelled.

"Gosh, touchy. Doesn't matter if you're a lesbian. I know a lot of hot lesbians. I'm cool with it. I was just,"

"Britt, I'm not a lesbian. I just find it gross if, yeah."

"You find having sex gross?"

"No, I don't. It's natural, and I'm cool with that. I just find It wrong if," She trailed off and Britt looked at her weird. "Britt, I'm Alex."

"YOU'RE ALEX?" HE yelled incredulously.

"Alex Reid." She said with a nod.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry. That must have been incredibly awkward for you and now I'm gonna make it awkwarder because I think I should give you a hug." He spread his arms wide.

"Ok."

"Do I have permission to give said hug?" HE asked.

"I guess so." Britt squeezed Alex hard on the word so and she gave him a light pat, right on the Hornet gun. She pulled it out and Britt didn't notice till he saw her holding it in front of him.

"What's this for?" She asked while holding it.

"Um, er. It's.. ah," Britt fumbled then swiped it out of her hands. "None of your business."

"It looks like the one the," Britt cut her off.

"No," He eyed her curiously. "It's not." She managed to get it out of his hand and hold it again.

"Then what's the big," Alex pulled the trigger by accident and a plume of green smoke enshrouded her head and she sunk to the floor. Kato ran out from the workshop and saw Alex lying on the ground. He looked at Britt.

"What the hell Britt?" He asked. Britt pried the gun out of Alex's hand.

"Kato, we got a problem." Britt declared as the both looked at one unconscious Alex Reid.


	4. That Knockout Gas

_Yeah, party on! ..er.. Read on! - EC_

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><p>Wednesday August 10<p>

Alex blinked and saw a very industrial looking ceiling over her. She tried sitting up, but ended up pulling herself up the wall near her and leaned against it. She looked around the room and realized she was in the workshop of a garage, with some old red car being worked on in the center.

"Alex?" A guy asked as he approached her. He had curly hair that was the same color as her's. He crouched down and looked at her.

"What happened?" Alex asked as she looked around the room some more.

"Knockout gas." Another man said as he walked over from the other side of the room with a cold towel. He was of Asian descent and he smiled slightly as he gave her the towel.

"Thanks." Alex said and she covered her face with the towel.

"YOU weren't supposed to be holding it." The other guy said. Alex thought about his name for a second, it was her brother Britt. What a dick, she thought to herself. She removed the towel and looked at him. He was sitting on a stool near the workbench now.

"Where'd you get it?" Alex asked.

"Um, " Britt started and he glanced at Kato who was on the other side of the room rearranging something. Alex had been out for about an hour and in that hour Britt and Kato had managed to hide every trace of the Green Hornet in this room so they could move her in here. Britt believed it would be a little strange to bring her upstairs into the house unconscious. That would cause a stir among the help. "The Green Hornet is blackmailing me and he forgot his gun. So I have to return it to him." Britt kicked himself in the knee for that farfetched story.

"Yeah, sure." Alex said slowly.

"What do you know about, him?" Britt asked.

"The Green Hornet?" Alex asked and Britt nodded. "HE's all over the news . He was on the front page of Dad's paper for a long time. I got it when I was at school." Alex rambled on. Britt saw an opening to change the subject.

"Yeah, what's the deal with you? Where the hell have you been hiding for the past 15 years?"

"I'm 17."

"Oh, well sorry. 17 years?"

"Boarding schools and summer camps. The last time I was home was like 5 years ago. I didn't see dad once, I saw him once though." She gestured to Kato.

"Who, Kato?" Kato looked over at the mention of his name.

"I thought his name was Henry." Alex said honestly.

"I' m Kato." Kato said from the other side of the room. "The pool guy was Henry, until Britt fired him."

"Why'd you fire him?" Alex asked.

"I fired everyone here who worked for my father the day of his funeral. Including Kato." Britt said and Kato nodded in agreement.

"Why?"

"Because I thought Dad was a dick. And he was, just not as big a dick as I thought." Britt said remembering the night when he figured this out at Gompachi Hibachi. Then how the Green Hornet and his partner killed Scanlon. "Good times." Britt mumbled.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Oh, they were bad times Alex. Bad times." Britt covered.

"When were these times?" Alex asked slowly.

"No one told you?"

"Britt, I just found out my dad died and that I have a brother with a knockout gas gun that he has to return to the Green Hornet." Britt digested this.

"Good point. Dad died in October last year. The funeral was right after." Alex stayed silent. Britt tried to change the subject. "So all I need to know about you is, I just met you and you've been away at school and camp forever. All you really need o know about me is that I own the Sentinel and write for it like once a week and in my spare time I work on cars with Kato. And Kato is my bodyguard, driver, mechanic guy, fyi."

"So that's all I need to know? That gun?" Alex asked.

"Pretend that never happened." Britt said. "Do I have your word?" Britt asked her as he seriously started to doubt trusting a 17 year old, whom he just met, with a secret this big that she probably hasn't completely processed yet but very well could have. Alex thought it over.

"There was a gun?" Alex asked and Britt smiled.


	5. A Little Bit of Work

_"Manamana.. do doo do doo doo.. ManaMana.. do do do do. ManaMana.."_

_If you know what this is from, you'll recieve a... hot pocket. :D - EC_

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><p>Thursday August 11,2011<p>

"Britt! Britt!" All the reporters chorused outside of the L.A. courthouse once he emerged with Alex. Kato parted the crowd in front of them.

"Come on, stand aside please." Kato managed to yell over the shouts of the reporters. "The Reids are not available for comment." They pushed their way through the crowd and reached the town car parked near the curb. Kato opened the back door and Britt and Alex slipped in quickly. Kato closed the back door then immediately got into the driver's seat and started the car.

"Let's roll Kato." Britt said from the back seat with Alex.

"Let's roll," Kato answered as he sped away from the curb, leaving the courthouse and a mob of reporters behind them. Britt pulled out his phone.

"What are we gonna do now?" Alex asked as she glanced between Britt and his phone.

"Huh?" Britt asked and he looked at her. "Um, well. Hey let's go to the Sentinel! You can meet Lenore and Axford." Kato took a turn right. Alex stared out the window and held onto her purse tightly. There wasn't really anything in it, it was more of a big case for her camera than anything else.

"It looks so different." Alex said as she stared at the buildings, Britt didn't respond. "L.A. I mean, it's so different since the last time I've been here."

"What? Oh, yeah. It's changed a lot recently." Britt responded halfheartedly. Alex realized the buildings were flying by very quickly and came to the conclusion that they were indefinitely exceeding the speed limit.

"Does he always drive this fast?" Alex asked and Britt looked at her with an annoyed expression.

"You can talk to him you know, he's more of a friend than a bodyguard. Although I'd be sunk if he wasn't my driver mechanic guy." Britt trailed off then went back to his phone.

"Kato," Alex started and she looked at him in the rearview mirror.

"Yup?" He responded from the front seat.

"You always drive like this?" She asked him and glanced back out her window.

"Eh, generally. It's different on my bike though."

"Oh, you have a motorcycle?"

"Yeah! I love riding it." Kato thought for a second. "It's my second favorite vehicle to drive." He added.

"What's the first?" This caught Britt's attention and he looked at Alex who was still looking out the window. Britt caught Kato's eye in the mirror and gave him the stink eye. Kato rolled his eyes in response.

"My favorite is the '65 Chrysler in the garage. You should have seen it yesterday." Kato responded.

"Which one," Alex started but Britt cut her off.

"We're here!" Britt yelled as he looked out the window. The car pulled to a stop and Britt jumped out of the car without another word. Alex sighed and got out of her side and followed Britt and Kato into the Daily Sentinel building.

"So do I like own the paper too?" Alex asked after an awkward silence ensued in the elevator. Britt looked at her then shrugged.

"Technically no, I do. But once you're of age I guess you'll own part." Britt answered.

"This is the balls." Alex mumbled.

"What?" Britt asked with a twinge of laughter then looked directly at her.

"It's an expression. It's like saying, 'that's cool' or something like that." Alex answered with a shrug and Britt laughed again. Kato rolled his eyes then sighed.

"I say that all the time." Britt said and smiled. The elevator bell rang when they reached the tenth floor and the door opened. Britt was bombarded by a million questions from the employees on the floor.

"Britt is she really your sister?" One asked. Britt moved forward through them.

"Does she own the paper?" Another asked. Kato and Alex followed close behind them as Britt silently walked in front of them.

"Yeah, is she like our boss?" The first one added and a hush went over the crowd. Britt reached his office and turned around.

"I'm gonna type up an email of everything you need to know, then I'm sending it to Lenore. She'll send it to you." Britt said then he walked into his office and slammed the door behind him.

"He does that." Kato said when he noticed that Alex was just staring at the door like someone slapped her in the face. "Come on," He gestured and the crowd of employees retreated to their desks.

"Hi! You must be Alex!" A tall blonde woman said as Alex and Kato approached her desk. The woman stood up and offered her hand.

"Hi, who are you?" Alex said as she shook her hand.

"I'm Lenore Case, Britt's secretary and I have a board position." Lenore answered then she sat back down at her desk. "Have a seat!" She gestured to the couches nearby her desk and resumed her typing. "Kato." Alex sat down on the couch and put her purse next to her.

"Lenore." Kato responded with a nod. Alex noticed the sexual tension between the two of them.

"Oh no, really? You two?" Alex asked as she looked between the two of them. "You and him? How long did that last? I mean, no offense of anything. You're both really cute, er pretty. You're both nice!" Alex sputtered and immediately wanted to kick herself for making too many stupid comments.

"Well if that didn't prove you're related to Britt I don't know what will." Lenore observed. Kato had stolen one of Lenore's pens and was twirling it around his fingers very quickly as he watched the TVs on the wall. Alex sighed then took her camera out of her purse and scrolled through some pictures from camp she had taken.

"You're Alex right?" An older man said as he walked up to her. He was holding a coffee mug, "I'm Mike Axford, editor-in-chief. I was a good friend of your father's."

"Nice to meet you." Alex said as she waved with her camera.

"Maybe you can take some freelance photos for us." Axford said as he gestured at her camera then walked away. Alex smiled slightly.

"Freelance means you get paid but you're not really tied to the paper," Lenore said and Alex nodded. "Even though you're practically tied to the paper because of your name." Alex sighed and put away her camera. She looked through the glass walls of Britt's office and saw him pounding away on his keyboard. Lenore's phone rang and she answered it immediately. Alex stood up and walked over to Britt's office door and put her hand on the doorknob to open it, but before she could open it swung open and Britt was standing there.

"Alex, I have something to show you." Britt said as he walked past her.

"What is it?" Alex asked and she followed him.

"Can you excuse me for a moment?" Lenore asked into the phone. "Thanks," She pulled the phone away from her ear. "Britt, you want it forwarded to everyone right?"

"Yup." Britt answered her and she put the phone back to her ear. "Let's go Kato." Kato pulled away from the TVs and followed Britt and Alex.

"What are you gonna show me?" Alex asked.

"Something special." Britt said quickly and Kato eyed him nervously as they reached the elevators.


	6. Welcome Home

_The song that was at the top of chapter 5 was "Manamana" which was on the muppet show.. if you've never heard it, you should look it up. But after you read this. Yeah. - EC_

* * *

><p>Thursday August 11, 2011<p>

"Oh wait, hold on Kato." Britt said as they started to enter the garage in the town car. Kato stopped the car and turned around to look at Britt who was pulling at his tie. "Come here Alex."

"Um, " Alex started and Britt pulled his tie over his head.

"Trust me," Britt answered and he gave her a look. Alex shrugged and Britt leaned forward and tied his tie like a blindfold around Alex's head. "Ok Kato." Kato shook his head as he turned back around then proceeded into the garage.

"Britt what are you doing exactly?" Kato asked as he stopped in the dark garage. Britt ignored him.

"Turn on the lights Kato." Britt said as he and Kato got out of the car. Britt ran around the back of the car and opened Alex's door. "Ok, be careful." Kato switched the lights on.

"Ohhh," Kato mumbled a he realized that something was different in the room. Alex got out of the car slowly and Britt slammed the door behind her.

"Ok, you can take it off now. The tie, blindfold thing." Britt rambled and Alex pulled the makeshift blindfold down. "This is for you." Britt held out a pair of keys to her.

"A car?" Alex asked.

"Well, it's a mustang actually." Britt corrected her. "And a house key. You live here too. Welcome home Alex." Alex took the keys from him.

"Well, thanks Britt!" Alex said as she looked over the dark mustang in front of her. She turned around and gave him a real hug.

"Ok, sure. Hug it out." Britt said as he hugged her back, "I'm just a giving fool." Alex let go after awhile then looked at the car.

"Thank you Kato!" Alex said.

"Don't thank him! He did nothing!" Kato shrugged at this comment.

"I really had nothing to do with this." Kato answered then yelled over his shoulder as he walked to the workshop. "Though you probably should have told me."

"Britt, it's really amazing and all but, there's a small minor detail you missed." Alex started.

"What's wrong? You don't like black? I didn't think you seemed like a pink person." Britt rambled and Alex cut in.

"I don't have my driver's license yet." Alex said and Britt shut up then thought a moment.

"Well," Britt started. "You got Kato!" He yelled and Kato came out of the workshop.

"He can teach me? Or, um, give me lessons?" Alex asked.

"If you want I guess, right?" Britt said with a shrug then glanced at Kato who just nodded his head. "Or he can just drive you in your car, to places."

"Am I the only one here who thinks that's a little off?" Alex asked and the guys exchanged a look.

"Yup." Britt answered.

"I drive Britt everywhere, it's one of my jobs." Kato said.

"Well, I have a question then." Alex said.

"About what?" Britt asked.

"For Kato." Alex said and Britt shrugged. Kato looked at Alex who was staring at something near him. "Do you always wear those gloves when you drive Kato?" She asked and Kato looked at his hands. The gloves he was still wearing were balck with a a single white stripe on each of them.

"These are my favorite gloves." Kato answered. "I always wear them."

"I thought so." Alex said and she walked towards the door to go upstairs then turned around to say something. "Where's my room again?"

"Um," Britt started as he thought about it, he barely knew since he lives in the guest house really. "UP the big stairs somewhere."

"Right." Alex mumbled then left the garage.

"Kato," Britt said once he heard Alex slam the door at the top of the stairs. "Turn on the cell phone and internet jammer, I think she knows." Kato nodded and walked away. If Alex was gonna share it online somewhere, it wouldn't be now. Britt ran up the stairs and into the house.


	7. A Little Coffee

_PFFT. So My friend snorted pink lemonade today in liquid form by accident. It really was an accident. You can trust me. She said it was horrible anyways. - EC_

* * *

><p>Thursday September 1, 2011<p>

Alex pried her eyes open to the sound of a screeching alarm. She sat up slowly then at a screaming alarm clock on the other side of her room. Her gaze shifted to the time on the clock, 6:30.

"What the hell?" Alex yelled as she lay back down and held a pillow over her head to muffle the noise, which hardly worked. She grumbled for a few minutes as she tried to remember when, or if, she even set an alarm and why she would set an alarm in the first place. Alex kicked her sheets off the bed then groggily got up and slammed the off button.

The screeching stopped and Alex sighed. She listened for any noise in the house, but it was dead silent. She grabbed her bathrobe off the back of her bathroom door and put it on as she marched out of her room and down the hallway. She came to a stop at the top of the main staircase. It was still dead silent.

"Hello?" Alex called. "Is anyone up at this Godforsaken hour who can tell me why my alarm clock just went off causing me to be up at this Godforsaken hour?" The silent house responded with more silence. The silence broke suddenly with the sound of a motorcycle pulling into the driveway then towards the garage. "Kato." Alex mumbled as she started down the stairs then ran straight into the housekeeper as she rounded the corner. A flutter of clean white towels fell onto the floor between them.

"Clumsy, clumsy." Janet muttered to herself as she started to pick up a few towels.

"Janet, I'm sorry." Alex said and Janet nodded as Alex started to walked away. "Wait, hey, do you know why I'm up now?" Janet glanced at her watch then at Alex then back at her watch quickly.

"Good lord, it's early for you. I haven't the faintest idea Alex." She answered as she gathered the rest of the towels. "You're usually up at the crack of one, noon if you're lucky." Janet walked up the stairs and Alex shrugged as she continued the other way.

"Hrm," Alex sighed then thought for a minute. She started to dig into her bathrobe pockets. "Aha! Found you!" Alex said as she pulled out her cell phone then called a number from the recently dialed list.

"Hello?" A woman answered groggily on the other end after four rings.

"Lenore, it's Alex." Alex said as she walked through the expansive dining room eying the giant chandelier nervously.

"Alex? Now?" Lenore asked. "Wait, hold on." Alex could hear her moving around somewhere. If someone knew what was going on, it would definitely be Lenore. "Ok, you ready for school?"  
>"What?" Alex yelled and the chandelier shook slightly causing Alex to run out of the room scared for her life. "I'm going to school? Where? WHEN? Why did 't anyone tell me?"<p>

"I guess Britt never told you." Lenore started.

"No shit, he doesn't tell me anything Lenore." Alex said as she continued down another hall.

"Well you had to finish high school somewhere. So he had me register you for your senior year at his old High School, Notre Dame High."

"Why can't I go back to boarding school?" Alex asked out of curiosity.

"I don't know, ask your brother. He's my boss and I just do as I'm told, or asked, or begged. But anyways, you should have everything you need. I bought new school supplies and organized them for you. They should be in the office. And, I think Janet put your new uniforms in your closet last night."

"Meh." Alex mumbled in response. She was used to the whole uniform thing and as for school supplies she pretty much had whatever she wanted because she had mysterious credit card linked to her father's account. Hey, he was supporting me really, Alex thought to herself then Lenore brought her back to reality.

"And Kato will drive you there! Class starts at 8. Have fun Alex! Bye!"

"Yeah." Alex said with no enthusiasm then ended the phone call. "School? HE really could have at least told me." Alex grumbled to herself as she walked into the kitchen to find Kato facing of a pretty amazing machine, with his back to Alex.

"Morning Alex." Kato said without turning around. Alex stopped short and started to ask how he knew it was her then she stopped. He just knows these things. "Ready for school?"

"No." Alex said plainly as she slumped against the stainless steel counter. Kato glanced at her and noticed that she was still in her pajamas. Alex noticed a single cup of coffee sitting on the counter near her then realized how much she was craving caffeine at the moment.

"Would you like a cup?" Kato asked breaking her trance.

"What?" Alex glanced at the coffee again. "Coffee? Sure." Kato turned his attention to the machine near him, and brewed a perfect café coffee for Alex right there. He handed her the cup then turned off the machine. "Well thank you." Alex said, a little stunned from the fact that this really industrial machine makes coffee. Alex took a sip. It was the best damn coffee she ever tasted. Period. "You do this every morning?"

"On special occasions." Kato said, he annunciated 'occasions' slowly. "I made this for your father and made coffee every day for him. And Britt."

"Wow, you made that?" Alex asked and Kato nodded. "That's, it's." Alex fumbled. "Kato, this coffee is the balls." Kato laughed slightly then got serious again.

"Britt made an agreement with me though, he told me I shouldn't waste my time making coffee every day. Just on special days and today is a special day." Kato took a sip of coffee from the cup on the counter.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"School." Kato said slowly then Alex groaned. She drained the rest of her coffee then put the cup on the counter.

"I'll be back down later. You're driving me apparently." Kato nodded.

"I'll be out front when you're ready." He started up the coffe machine again and started to make another cup. Alex gave him a look that read, who else gets coffee. "Your brother, he'll try to kill me if I don't make him one."

"Try to kill you?" Alex emphasized the 'try.' Kato just smiled slyly then turned his attention back to the machine.


	8. Where would one buy those Pajamas?

_Tehe, I made a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference in this chapter, reward if you can find it! -EC_

* * *

><p>Saturday September 3, 2011<p>

Alex took another look through her folder of official paperwork then sighed. She flattened the folder onto the table then stood up from her chair and began to walk to the guest house. She walked around the pool slowly and kicked an inflatable dolphin into it. She watched it bounce up and down on the water then turned to the guest house. She started knocked on the door quickly.

"Britt!" Alex yelled and there was no response. She knocked harder on the door and still no response, not even a plea to 'go away!' She noticed the one of the windows were open and looked through it to see Britt sleeping on his bed couch thing. Alex shook her head then yelled at the top of her lungs. "Britt! The guest house is on fire! You need to get out! NOW!"

"Stop it Alex!" Britt yelled back. Alex sighed then tried to open the door, which she did with success because it was unlocked. Alex walked into the house and just stood there looking at Britt's disaster of a room. Alex threw open one of the blinds and Britt squealed.

"Come on, get up." Alex said in a normal tone. Britt hid under his covers.

"Go away." He groaned and silently wished Alex would just poof away.

"Take me to the DMV." Alex said and opened another blind, letting in more light.

"Ask Kato!" Britt moaned from under his sheets.

"He's not here yet. And I need my legal guardian there anyways." Legal guardian, Alex thought to herself, this guy barely knows how to take care of himself. He almost burned down the completely stainless steel kitchen while boiling water. WATER. Britt pulled back a few blankets and poked his head out.

"What's at the DMV? Dragons, Monsters, and Vogons?" Alex stared at him with a look that read, 'seriously?'

"No." Alex said and stood at the end of his bed. "I have to get my permit before my license so I can drive, by myself."

"That's what Kato's for." Britt said and covered his head again.

"Look." Britt groaned and took the blanket off his head again. "I want to be self sufficient at some point in my life unlike lying around on my ass all day like you. And you seriously need to respect Kato, he does so much for you, too much for you." Britt threw his blankets off the bed and got out of bed. His expression was intimidating but Alex had to hold back her laughter when she noticed his zebra print silk pajamas and electric blue robe. Where you would even get those, Alex wondered silently.

"OK, Alex." Britt said and he stood right in front of her. "Kato is very important to me. More than you know. He says we're xiōngdì."

"What the hell is a xiōngdì?"

"Brother, in Chinese." Britt let this sink in. "I already screwed up once and he forgave me because we're xiōngdì's! He's the closest thing I got to a real brother and then it turns out I have a real sister."

"So, this is all truth?" Alex asked after awhile.

"All truth." Britt echoed, and he meant it. Alex smiled.

"So, can you take me to the DMV?"

"Yeah, I have to find my wallet first. And I gotta change, unless you don't mind blue and zebra."

"I've seen worse." Alex said with a shrug.

"You have?" Britt asked incredulously and Alex nodded. "Man, I gotta try harder."


	9. A Little Waiting in Line

_I wrote about the most boring place on Earth. In any town. In any country really. I didn't think it was possible.. but it happened anyways. - EC_

* * *

><p>Saturday September 3, 2011<p>

"Are you sure you have everything you need because I really don't like this place." Britt said as they walked into the bland DMV building.

"Yeah I should." Alex said as she shuffled through her folder one more time.

"You should have double checked everything when we were home." Alex stopped shuffling and looked at him.

"It's all here." She said plainly and they got into a line for the counter. Britt looked at all the rows of forms lined up on the counters.

"Why are you getting this now? Don't you usually do this when you're 16?"

"No one ever took me. They didn't offer it through my school and I was never home long enough to say, hey dad, let's go the DMV." Alex answered and Britt nodded.

"Yeah, I didn't really want to ask him to take me. He just kind of brought me one day." Britt said and Alex looked for something in the folder. "Hey, do I have to sign anything?"

"When we get up there, I think you do." Alex looked at the papers in the folder; she had to do a lot just to find half of the things, like her birth certificate and proof of address. She ended up bringing her check from doing some freelance photography at the Sentinel, well just the envelope.

"You're really on top of this." Britt said and he stuck his hands in his pockets. "Did Lenore help you?"

"Maybe." Alex said vaguely and she looked at the line in front of them which still seemed to drag on. Britt took out his phone and started to do something on it.

"Sir," Someone said from behind the counter immediately. "No cell phones." Britt and Alex saw a woman behind the counter point at a huge sign dangling from the ceiling that read 'NO Cell Phones.'

"See," Britt said as he pocketed his phone and Alex only half listened. "I can't even use my phone in this place, it's like behind trapped in the 70's. Between the not using any technology really, the décor, the smell, I just can't stand it."

"Next." Another woman behind the counter said and Alex walked up to her. Britt was so caught up in his rant it took him a moment to realize Alex left.

"And he's," Alex gulped. I can't believe I'm saying this, she thought. "My guardian." She gestured to Britt as he walked up to the counter.

"And what's your relation to her?" The woman asked Britt.

"Uh, I'm her brother." Britt sputtered not really believing it himself either.

"I have the legal papers here." Alex said as she showed her the proof that Britt has custody over her until age 18. The woman looked them over then scribbled something onto another form.

"Sign here." She said in a bored tone and pushed the paper towards Britt. She returned the custody papers to Alex and Alex filed them away as she watched Britt sign his name on the line that read 'parent/legal guardian.' The box next to it read, 'relation to minor Father Mother Other _' ' Other' was checked and 'brother' was scribbled in on the blank.

"That looks marvelous." Britt muttered sarcastically as he admired his signature. The DMV woman ignored him.

"And you sign here," She said to Alex and pointed to a blank under, 'Britt Reid.' Alex signed 'Alex Reid' under it and gave it back to the woman. "Have a seat, and they'll call you to take the knowledge test.

"Let's go." Alex said to Britt as they walked away to sit at some very uncomfortable looking chairs. They both sat down and Alex checked the time on her phone secretly, 10:24 am. She sighed and sat there for what seemed like hours in silence.

"Alex Reid?" A guy behind the counter called.

"Yeah," Alex responded and waved to he saw her, he nodded. "Britt." He didn't respond, he was asleep. "Oh shit." Alex mumbled then thought for a second. She looked back at the counter then quickly jabbed Britt with a pen she was holding.

"Holy shit, ow!" Britt yelled and he grabbed his side where he was poked. Alex shushed him.

"You were sleeping. Hold this." Alex said to a delusional Britt as she handed him her the folder and pen then stood up. She walked behind the counter to take her knowledge test. An elderly couple was still looking at Britt.

"Kids." Britt said and shrugged. The couple looked away and Britt scowled at them. Kids indeed, he thought to himself. I didn't ask to watch her. But I didn't ask for dad to die either though. I guess it makes sense though of mom being really big right before she died. Man, I just thought she was fat Britt thought silently. She was pregnant then apparently, and I guess after Alex was born she was too weak and died. This has to explain why there was a little kid in the house all of a sudden. I thought it was Janet's kid, guess not. Dad must have sent her to boarding school because she reminded him of mom. Well, he was never home anyways so I don't see why he had to,

"I got it!" Alex said as she sat down next to Britt again.

"Got what?" Britt asked coming out of his deep thoughts. Alex gave her, 'are you serious' look again.

"My permit, so I can learn to drive."

"This isn't your license?" Alex shook her head. "Man, you were really fooling me. Well, where is it?"

"Britt, all I did was pass the test. Now I gotta go pay for it then they take my picture then they print it."

"Oh, so that's why you look nice today." Alex glared at him. "But you look nice every day. But I don't really look because that would be weird with us having a sibling relationship."

"Britt?"  
>"Yeah?"<br>"Shut. Up."

"Ok."


	10. Don't Cry Over Spilled Water

_I needed a date in october and twenty-five is my favorite number, it's also my birthday on that day. - EC_

* * *

><p>Tuesday (Very late) October 25, 2011<p>

"These are very good Alex, but as a family friend I'm concerned for your safety." Axford, the Sentinel Editor-In-Chief, told her as he looked at the spread of Green Hornet pictures on the board room table.

"I'm not scared of these guys." Alex answered as she stood at the other end of the table.

"But honey, they could kill you." One of the board members tried to tell her.

"You know they killed D.A. Scanlon a while ago." Someone else said.

"Right in this office." Another person added and Alex looked defeated.

"Look, if you don't want my pictures, I'll take them elsewhere. And I think it would be pretty weird for the daughter of the late Editor-In-Chief to work for someone else other than the mighty fine Sentinel." Alex offered.

"You make some good points, but you're really just a kid Alex." Axford said in response.

"Hey hey hey, Britt Reid in the house." Britt said as he stormed into the room. "Hey Karen, Axford, Lenore." He noticed Alex. "And Alex. What are you doing here?" Kato came into the room with a glass of water and took a sip.

"Just making a living. I got some new pictures." Alex answered as she gestured to the photos on the table. Britt's, and Kato's, gaze fell on the pictures on the table. Britt's eyes widened and Kato gulped loudly on his water.

"Alex, they could kill you." Kato said after a silence.

"Yeah, what he said." Britt agreed.

"Yeah, I don't think they could." Alex said skeptically. "They don't have it in them." She responded confidently and crossed her arms over her chest. Kato put his glass down on the table.

"Alex, don't get cocky." Axford warned.

"Yeah, really Alex!" Britt agreed, again.

"I'd like to see them try to kill me. See if they had it in them." Alex stated. "Publish that, with," She paused and looked at her pictures. "This picture." She held up one of them then put it back down. "Alex Reid outro."

"Hey, that's my line." Britt mumbled as she walked out of the room.

"Britt, we can't print that!" One of the board members started.

"She'll definitely get killed if we do." Another added. They all launched into an argument.

"Wait, hold on. Shut up!" Britt yelled and the room silenced. "I'll talk to her."

"She won't listen to you Britt." Kato said.

"What, and she'll listen to you?" Kato shrugged at this. You never know, he thought to himself.

"Britt, Kato's right. You really need to put your foot down." Lenore said. "Lay down the law, you're in charge of her." Britt nodded and walked out of the room.

"I think we should run it." Axford said after Britt walked out.

"What?" Everyone chorused and the heated discussion started up again. Kato slipped out of the room and found Britt and Alex in the kitchen area. He stayed in more towards Lenore's desk, leaving them some space but he couldn't help hear their conversation get more heated as it went along.

"Alex, no more Green Hornet pictures." Britt said simply.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Alex argued.

"You don't know what you're talking about! Alex, I've been in your place. Almost exactly! I ran too many articles about the Hornet and people started getting dead because of it. He killed all of them. Sure, some of them were bad guys, but a lot of them were innocent people too. All because of me and the stupid paper our dick of a dad left me. Just please stop the Green Hornet pictures. Go cover for your school paper or something." Britt ranted then left the kitchen. Alex started to hold back tears then Britt called back. "Do you need a ride home?" Alex shook her head.

"I'll get a cab." She answered and slumped against the sink.

"Fine." Britt said and he walked over to Kato. "Let's roll Kato."


	11. A Little Hot Dog Stand

_Thanks to Bridgefan15 and Simplycyndilicious for reviews and such! All my stories tend to be on the longer side because I get rather invested in them... It's generally pretty frigid though.. -EC_

* * *

><p>Saturday October 29<p>

"Now are you sure you really want to do this?" Kato asked as he turned into a side alley.

"She won't stop taking Green Hornet pictures unless the Green Hornet actually scares her." Britt answered him as the Green Hornet from next to Kato. "This is the only way Kato." The only way, that Britt saw, was to kidnap Alex.

"Ok, it's your plan." Kato mumbled as they reached the end of the alley and could just see their target across the street, Pink's Hot Dog Stand. Kato had dropped off Alex awhile ago here to meet with a few friends for dinner. They should be coming back outside anytime now. Britt had the whole kidnapping thing planned out, they would get her in a really public place so it got actual attention, then hide her for a few days somewhere then the Hornet would ask for ransom that Britt would have to pay then Alex would be returned. Britt is convinced that it will work, and Kato hopes it will work.

"Where is she?" Britt asked after they sat there for awhile. Kato shrugged and stared out the window at the busy hot dog stand. "Hey, turn on that tracker thing, find out where her phone is. Then we can find her."

"Good idea." Kato said and he pulled up the tracking system on the built in screen. He typed in Alex's cell phone number and a map with her location popped up. "She's still in there, wait, she's moving." Kato and Britt looked out the front window again.

"I see her!" Britt said and he pointed across the street. Alex was walking out of Pink's with a couple other people. Their group consisted of boys and girls. One boy in particular was holding her hand. Britt glared at him when he saw this.

"Britt, we have to go now." Kato said quickly as the group started to walk down the sidewalk.

"She has a boyfriend, why didn't I see this Kato? Why didn't she tell me?" Britt muttered ignoring Kato. Kato ignored him and started the Black Beauty.

"Come on, just get in the back and let's go!" Kato said trying to break his thoughts.

"Yes, right. I'm on it." Britt said and he jumped over the seat as Kato blasted out of the alley surprising and frightening the pedestrians at the same time. Britt fumbled and fell on the floor between the seats.

"Aw, shit." Britt yelled then looked out the window as he pulled himself back up. He noticed that Alex had let go of the boy's hand and was taking pictures now.

"I'm pulling up, you ready?" Kato asked as he slowed near the curb.

"Yeah, go for it." Britt said and he pulled out his gas gun. Kato stopped at the curb and opened his window. Alex and her group of friends had stopped and were about 10 feet away now. Everyone on the sidewalk was gaping at this scene unfolding.

"Ms. Reid?" Kato asked to the crowd on the sidewalk and Alex stepped forward immediately. The boy who was holding her hand touched her shoulder.

"Alex, don't do anything stupid." He said and Alex looked at him.

"I'm not scared of them Chris." She responded and he drew back his hand. Kato turned his head back to Britt.

"Would you like me to persuade her?" Kato asked loud enough so both the crowd and Britt could hear.

"No, I got it. Just open the door." Britt answered and Kato nodded. He got out of the car and everyone on the sidewalk moved back a few paces. Inside, Britt readjusted his mask and hat then Kato opened the door.

"Now we can do this the easy way, or the not so easy way." The Green Hornet said as he stepped out of the car. Everyone moved back a few more paces at the sight of the Green Hornet.

"What do you want with her?" Alex's boyfriend Chris asked. The Green Hornet motioned for his partner to do something. The chauffer walked up to Chris slowly then swiftly made a powerful punch sending him flying backwards. The crowd moved back even further.

"I am going to kill you." The Green Hornet said plainly. Anyone who wasn't as far back as possible moved back away from the scene. Alex looked from side to side to notice that all her friends had back up as well.

"Have at it then." Alex stated with no fear.

"You want me to kill you right now? In front of this fine eating establishment?" Alex glanced back at Pink's.

"Yup."

"Now where's the fun in that?" He said with a shrug then immediately gassed her. The chauffer caught her before she hit the ground and put her in the back seat of the car. The Green Hornet got in after her and the chauffer closed the door behind him. Then got into the driver's seat and they pulled away from Pink's without another word.


	12. Hostage Situation

_"I'm gonna be real with you, so just go with it." (-BRITT!) ..Yeah, this happens to me. Alex and I are one and the same, not really. -EC_

* * *

><p>Saturday October 29<p>

Alex felt a single bead of sweat roll down her right armpit. She squirmed slightly and started to breathe deeply. That single bead of sweat only decided to pay her a visit when she was in high stress situations, and it was always just her right armpit. The bead rolled all the way down her arm to her wrists which were tied behind her in the chair she was sitting in. She had her eyes closed as tight as possible; she was awake but couldn't muster up the courage to open her eyes. She did before, but she only saw black darkness. She took another deep breathe then opened her eyes again.

"Sleep well?" A man's voice asked from the shadows.

"What sleep?" Alex asked as the room flooded with light suddenly and Alex squinted in response. BY the time her eyes adjusted she realized that the Green Hornet and his partner were standing in front of her. There was a tripod with a camera set up between them.

"Do you know where you are?" The Green Hornet asked. Alex looked around the room which was still slightly dim but she could make out a completely blank room with one door, behind the two men standing before her.

"I honestly don't know." Alex said with a shrug.

"Why do you want me to kill you?" The Green Hornet asked.

"I don't think you can do it." Alex responded defiantly. "I mean your first real crime, that made it to the front of the Sentinel at least, all you did was decapitate my father's statue. There's been guys out there who've decapitated real people. The whole killing thing doesn't seem like your cup of tea." The two men looked at each other.

"Do you trust your brother?" The nameless partner asked.

"Britt?" Alex sputtered then shrugged again. "I trust him about as far as I can throw him. So, very little."

"Well, your life is in his hands." The Green Hornet stated. "If he doesn't pay us a ransom, you will most definitely be dead by November 1st."

"You're actually gonna kill me?" Alex asked in disbelief.

"You're special Alex. I've only killed a few people, he's killed more than me." The Green Hornet gestured to his partner. "We prefer to injure someone and make them suffer and then let the police deal with them."

"But that would make you the good guy."Alex started.

"Who says I'm the good guy Alex?" He asked. "Have you seen my gun?"

"That gas thing?" Alex asked and the Green Hornet pulled out a very ominous looking weapon from a holster. It was a gun gun, a double barrel gun gun. Alex's eyes went wide. "Holy shit." She mumbled.

"I have a real gun too. I got this when we got rid of that drug lord Chudnofsky. Read about him in your little newspaper."

"It's not my newspaper." Alex said and he moved towards her. Alex started to panic a little. "Wait, don't kill me yet. See if Britt actually cares about. Truly and brotherly cares about me. He might, you never know."

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill you." He said and he stood to her right. "Yet." Alex gulped and the Green Hornet devilishly grinned. "We're gonna leave your brother a little message first." The partner turned on the camera sitting on the tripod and fiddled with it for a second. The Green Hornet moved behind Alex and held the gun to her head. Alex shuddered and felt another bead of sweat roll out of her right armpit and down her arm. She started sweating all over actually. "Don't worry, it's just for show. I'd never kill you this way."

"I wonder what Axford is gonna say about this." Alex mumbled.

"That old editor? I heard through the grapevine that he was the one who wanted to run your little wager, and the whole board was against him."

"He really said that?" Alex sputtered out, but it was hard to think with the double barrel pressed against her head.

"He's not your friend Alex. You can't trust anyone. Only me and my partner." The partner gestured he was ready and held up his hand and counted down with his fingers, 3,2,1.

"Oh shit." Alex mumbled as she felt the cold double barrel pushed harder on her right temple.

"Hello Britt, can I call you Britt? Well I will anyways because I feel like we are close friends. But I have an order of business here to attend to as you can see." He put his other hand on Alex's shoulder and Alex's eyes flitted to it. She didn't want it there; it just seemed to reek of terror. "This is your sister Britt. You know the one who publicly humiliated me by claiming I don't have the power to kill her. Well I do Britt. By midnight on Halloween Alex will be dead unless you do as I say. I demand 2 million big ones, in cash, from you. Not your stupid paper, you personally. We'll be in touch about a drop location. But you better be ready Britt, or else she dies." He pulled the gun away from her head and removed his hand from her shoulder. He tipped the chair onto its side and Alex winced quietly as she hit the ground.

"He's not gonna kill me Britt! He doesn't have the stones!" Alex yelled from the floor.

"You have 2 days Britt Reid." The Green Hornet said after watching Alex squirm on the ground.


	13. A Little Added Drama

_"This is my only line." -EC_

* * *

><p>Saturday October 29<p>

"Axford! Lenore!" Britt yelled in a panicked tone as he ran off the elevator with Kato close in tow. They both sprinted to the board room to find everyone in yet another heated argument.

"Thank God you're here!" Lenore said once she saw them .

"Have you called her Britt?" Axford asked as Britt got to the head of the table.

"Yeah, but it just goes straight to her voicemail. I've left like 20 messages and sent a million texts too." Britt answered and everyone paid close attention. "HE sent me an email like a few minutes ago."

"What?" Lenore asked in disbelief. She tried to process how they emailed themselves but she tried not to call them out on it.

"HE sent Britt an email and there was a video." Kato added.

"We were out combing every alley looking for this character then I got that email. So Kato drove really fast to get here."

"Well, you're here now so let's see it!" Axford said and Britt logged into his email on the computer which was connected to the TV on the wall. The video started automatically when he opened the email.

"Oh my god," Lenore gasped along with all the other women in the room. Everyone stayed dead silent and Lenore sank deeper into her chair as they watched the Green Hornet make his demands while Alex wiggled in the chair.

"What do I do?" Britt asked meaningfully once the video stopped. Everyone started talking at once.

"I need a drink." Lenore mumbled the left the room. No one took notice so Kato followed her out to the kitchen area.

"Lenore wait," Kato said as he reached the kitchen.

"Are you guys mentally unstable or something? Doesn't she know that it's you guys?" Lenore fired at him as she filled a cup with water from the cooler.

"She doesn't know." Kato answered. "We're trying to scare her."  
>"Scare her? She'll never talk to either of you again if she finds out." Kato shrugged.<p>

"Britt's plan was to get it so she's terrified of the Hornet and wants nothing to do with him. Which means she won't take anymore pictures. Lenore, she's just like Britt. She's so stubborn sometimes."

"How is Britt supposed to pay himself $2mill in cash?"

"He doesn't know yet, well he didn't tell me. I think he wants to use Black Beauty 3."

"Why 3?"

"It can drive by itself."

"Oh God," Lenore said then chugged another cup of water. "Where is she?" Kato looked away and tried to avoid answering. "No, she's not at the house is she?"

"It's an unused bonus space in the basement." Kato answered.

"You guys really are so dumb sometimes."

"It's a completely blank room with nothing in it, only a door."

"Well, you're feeding her at least and letting her go to the bathroom right?" Kato nodded.

"I had to get take out from across town because she'd recognize Britt's cooking anywhere." Lenore laughed.

"IS he still making the easy mac?" Kato smiled and nodded.

"It's easy, and it's cheesy." Lenore laughed.


	14. Just a Little Jedi Mind Trick

_So, I'm really just an educated fish. - EC_

* * *

><p>Sunday October 30<p>

Alex glared at the piece of toast sitting on the plate in front of her. Any other day she'd be fine with toast for breakfast but she just wasn't hungry. She felt confused and scared at the same time. Every theory that she had before had been evaporated the more she thought about it. She could hear footsteps coming from down the hall along with a really heated argument. The footsteps stopped and the arguing continued for awhile then the door opened.

"See this?" The Green Hornet asked and threw a newspaper right next to Alex's plate of toast on the table near her. Alex glanced at the headline, 'Where's Alex?'

"Well, isn't that peachy?" Alex said after reading it. "Has Britt done anything yet?" The Green Hornet ignored her as he reached into his coat pocket and took out a phone. "Why do you have my phone?"

"I took it from you. That's what the bad guys do." He answered and did something on it. "Your brother left you a lot of messages."

"Alex, it's Britt." The phone message played. "I'm gonna get you out. Don't do anything stupid." Britt's voice sounded panicked as the message ended.

"He's not gonna help me." Alex mumbled.

"Why do you say that?" The Green Hornet asked and placed her phone on the table.

"Well, my view of this whole thing is this, he's just trying to scare me. HE probably organized the whole thing. Did he pay you to kidnap me?"

"He hasn't paid me anything. I kidnapped you, and I'm going to kill you because you publicly insulted me. Do you know how bad that is for my image?" Alex made a noise of disbelief. "He's only paying me to get you back."

"Sure." Alex said skeptically as she changed her position in her chair. They had finally untied her from the damn chair.

"Alex, he's your only real family left. And you're his only family."

"He has Kato." The Green Hornet looked confused for the first time ever.

"Kato? Who the, wait, his bodyguard? Come on, that guy has no real friendship with your brother at all. Britt's his boss, and nobody loves their boss."

"Are you sure?"

"I can see things like this Alex. That guy is just his bodyguard, easily replaceable." The Green Hornet left the room without another word. Once the door was closed Alex seized her phone off the table.

"Oh, screw you." Alex mumbled when she tried to unlock it, but the combination was different now. She dropped her phone onto the table then sighed. A hidden camera in the corner of the room zoomed in to Alex's face as she sat there, just thinking. Kato looked at the live feed on his computer at Alex then quickly zoomed out again when he heard Britt come around the corner.

"I'm easily replaceable?" Kato yelled. "I could kill you in two seconds with a toothpick Britt!"

"That's not true." Britt answered as he took off his mask and hat. "That was the Green Hornet trying to mess with her mind. Just an old jedi mind trick Kato." Kato took a deep breath then decided to change the subject.

"Where do you want to drop the money?" This morning they went to the bank so Britt could withdraw the $2million, in cash. The entire board had advised him to pay the ransom as soon as possible. Kato was still in the dark about how Britt planned on delivering the money to himself.

"I need you to deliver this to the Sentinel." Britt said and he handed Kato an envelope addressed to 'Britt Reid- The Daily Sentinel.'

"To you?" Kato asked and Britt shook his head.

"No, just give it to the front desk." Kato took the envelope.

"They know me Britt." Kato said doubting Britt's plan.

"Just stay cool and don't say anything unless you have to." Kato sighed then got out of his chair.

"Ok, so I deliver this envelope. Where are you?" Kato took his coat off the back of his chair then pulled it on.

"The Green Hornet is with Alex and Britt Reid is pacing nervously by his computer at home waiting for an email that will never come, but he doesn't know that. After you drop the letter they'll call me to come and that gives you time to come back here, change really fast then go back with me."

"Are you confident in this plan Britt?"

"Yes. 1000%." Kato grabbed his mask and hat of the workbench and put them on.

"I'll be back in 15 minutes."

"That's my Kato." Britt said with a grin. Kato ignored him as he got into Black Beauty 6. He tucked the envelope into the glove box then drove out of the garage without another word from Britt. The Black Beauty roared down the street, it really gleamed in the bright sunlight. Kato squinted slightly, he was used to driving this at night usually. He was at the Daily Sentinel in less than 8 minutes. Kato grabbed the envelope out of the glove box then noticed his handgun in the box as well.

"What's a little fear." Kato mumbled as he took it out and made sure it was loaded, not like he was gonna need it or anything like that. Just a little fear. He got out of the car and at the sight of him and few people ran away unsure of what was going on. Kato walked straight up the steps and into the Sentinel building. The metal detectors beeped ferociously as he went through but he swiftly ignored them. The eyes of the secretary at the front desk widened as she saw him walk up to her. He placed the envelope on the desk between them. She started to sputter as Kato turned to leave.

"Any messages sir?" She managed to choke out. Kato stopped and looked back at her.

"The Green Hornet sends his regards."


	15. A Little Scare Tactic

_"We are basically gonna eat your head." (Zombie Ninjas- Songs to Wear Pants To) Look it up if you don't get it.. it's a song..-EC_

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><p>Sunday October 30<p>

"Britt, this is getting a little out of control, you should be staying here with us so we don't have to keep calling you." Axford said as Britt rushed into the board room with Kato close behind.

"What were you even doing Britt?" Lenore asked.

"I was waiting by my computer for another email from him about a drop location." Britt answered.

"Well, this might be your answer." Axford said as he passed the envelope down the Britt.

"This is why you called me? Because I got mail?" Britt almost yelled.

"The chauffer walked straight into the lobby and gave it to the front desk." One of the board members said.

"With the message, 'The Green Hornet sends his regards,'" Another added.

"Man this guy has nerve." Britt mumbled. "Did the security stop him at all?" No one responded.

"What about the cameras?" Kato asked. "The security cameras, did they record anything."

"Yeah," One of the board members started and they moved to the computer. "We already looked at it." A video came up with a four way split screen of each camera in the lobby. "OK, he comes in here." The chauffer was shown walking through the lobby and everyone around looked alarmed. There was no sound at all, although people were running everywhere to get away.

"He had a gun?" Britt yelled then looked at Kato. Everyone started to talked and Britt whispered to Kato. "I said, scare them, not kill them!"

"I didn't kill anyone!" Kato hissed back quietly. On the screen the chauffer had dropped the envelope and as he started to leave a few guards tried to apprehend him but he made a maneuver of some sort then they all fell to the ground. The chauffer walked straight out of the lobby.

"That's it, what's in here?" Britt said as he ripped open the envelope and took out a lone piece of paper. It was a typed letter. "Britt Reid, my sources tell me you withdrew $2 million from the bank this morning in cash. Let's schedule a drop. Deliver the cash in a black case and leave that case on the front steps of Let's schedule a drop. Deliver the cash in a black briefcase and leave that case on the front steps of your precious newspaper. No one is to guard the case, not you, your bodyguard or any security guards, no once. The case will be picked up by 7 sharp and your sister will be returned tomorrow if these demands are met. With regards, The Green Hornet." Everyone remained silent as they condensed this, Britt turned to Kato. "Kato, do I have a black briefcase?"

"I think so." Kato said quietly.

"Why does he want no one around, it sounds a little odd." One of the board members wondered out loud.

"Well, the security cameras will be a witness. They'll record the whole thing." Lenore said and glanced at Britt and Kato. Britt reread the letter to himself.

"Wait," Britt started. "Alex won't be returned till tomorrow. But I'm paying him now."

"Britt, I think it's best you get a briefcase out there on the steps with $2 million inside it then leave it alone. Go home. Don't even be near this building. This character is not one to be messed with." Axford said.

"I agree." Kato said. "You know what he's done before Britt." Britt looked at everyone in the room.

"I gotta go find a briefcase." Britt said as he ran out of the board room.


	16. Ninja Envelope Throwing

_Just saying, this chapter and the next chapter are kinda short and I don't really like them that much but otherwise the final chapter wouldn't make too much sense.. Well it would but, yeah, just some more reading. -EC_

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><p>Sunday October 30 (Like right before 7 o'clock)<p>

"You know that almost every security guard is glued to the security cameras right now." Kato said trying to get Britt's reasoning out of him.

"I know." Britt answered then grabbed the door for balance as Kato swung around the corner.

"And you're just gonna waltz right up the steps and grab the case?"

"You're gonna be there too." Britt said and Kato sighed. "Hey, you got Black Beauty 3 to drive alone right?"

"Yeah, I just need to enter the destination and what time it'll leave." Britt took another envelope out of his coat.

"Good, because that's in this plan here." The Black Beauty drove up the Sentinel driveway for the second time today. "We're gonna leave this here." He waved the envelope then put it back in his coat then Kato got out of the car and walked around to the other side and opened Britt's door. A few adventurous people were looking at them through the glass walls of the Sentinel lobby.

"Ready?" Kato asked and he closed the door after Britt. Britt nodded and they both walked up to the briefcase standing at the top of the stairs. Kato knelt down and opened it. Britt glanced over the cash then nodded and took out the envelope. Kato closed the case then stood up with it in hand. Britt handed Kato the letter and Kato flung it like a throwing star and it stuck directly between two of the doors.

"Nice shot." Britt mumbled as they both turned and walked back to the car without issue. The Black Beauty thundered out of the driveway and they began to go home. A phone started ringing. "Oh shit," Britt mumbled as he searched for his phone then found it on the seat near him. "Hello?"

"Britt? It's Alex." She said from the other side.

"Alex?" Britt yelled and Kato slammed on the brakes and looked at Britt. "No, keep going!" Britt whispered and Kato tentatively started again.

"I gotta be quick. They might comeback sometime soon."

"Um, how are you even calling now?"

"Well, this guy is almost as dumb as you. He left my phone here."

"It could be a trap Alex; he could have wanted you to do that."

"I don't know. He's not that bright, but he really, really wants to kill me." Alex stayed silent for a second. "Did you pay him yet?"

"Yeah, we left the money awhile ago, he should have picked it up by now." Kato turned through the secret gate.

"Britt, I think I'm actually scared. He's trying to mess with me."

"He's not being a perv is he?"

"No, not that kind of messing with me. You're gross. He told me that you don't care about Kato, like at all. And he can be replaced." Kato glanced at Britt when she said that, he could just hear the phone conversation.

"No Alex, I'd never replace Kato. He's the best mechanic/bodyguard/driver/friend I've ever,"

"Britt! I gotta go I heard the car!"Alex ended her called and Kato killed the engine.

"Kato, I think we won. She's really scared." Britt declared and grinned then he and Kato shared a fist bump.


	17. A Little Bit of Bad Coffee

_Meh, another hopelessly short chapter.. But.. there is only one more chapter after this.. -EC_

* * *

><p>Monday October 31<p>

"Alex will be returned to you before the stroke of midnight tonight in front of your stupid newspaper. My partner and I will not be in attendance for we have business elsewhere." Britt finished reading the letter left here last night for what seemed like the 20 millionth time. He swung from side to side on his swivel chair behind his desk then moaned. "This is torture."

"Britt, she's the one in the hostage situation." Axford said as he stood up from where he was sitting. Britt appeared to be very stressed but and took a sip from his coffee mug. And nearly cringed, he hated the coffee here. When Axford looked away Britt Deliberately spilled some onto his shirt. "Oh shit." He muttered and stood up. "Kato!" He yelled and Kato immediately came into his office.

"Britt I'll be back later," Axford said. "Get yourself cleaned up." He walked by Kato and nodded.

"Kato Can you go home and get me a clean shirt, and tie too." Britt said as he looked at his tie. "And set you know what to get here at 11:57."

"Will do." Kato said then walked out of the office.

"Where are you going?" Lenore asked as Kato walked by her desk.

"Britt spilled coffee everywhere. I have to get him a change of clothes." Kato said and Lenore glared at Kato suspiciously. The phone on her desk rang.

"Don't hurt her." Lenore said quietly and the phone rang again.

"She's fine." Kato said and Lenore answered the phone.

"Britt Reid's office," Lenore said into the receiver and Kato slipped away from her desk. "One moment." The phone in Britt's office rang and startled Britt enough to knock over a glass of alcohol near it by accident.

"Shit," Britt mumbled then answered the phone. "What? Hello?"

"Mr. Reid, this is Leslie Schneider. I'm a secretary at Notre Dame High School and you're aware that your sister is not in class today right?" The secretary asked in a bored tone.

"What? Is this a joke? She's in a freakin' hostage situation right now! Of course I know she's not in school!" Britt yelled into the phone and the secretary was silent.

""Sorry to bother you then, it's standard procedure. Thank," Britt hung up the phone without letting her finish then laughed.

"Heh, some people." Britt thought of what Kato was doing right now and checked the time on the clock on his desk. It was about 1:20. Kato had to use enough knockout gas to keep Alex out cold till at least 11:45 tonight. Then he had to program the car to come to the Sentinel, and also return home afterwards. Alex would wake up, locked in the car and be driven to the Sentinel and everything would be just peachy. "I Hope." Britt muttered doubting himself for the first time this weekend.


	18. And His Nameless Sidekick

_This is it. Well for this story at least. -EC_

* * *

><p>Monday October 31<p>

Britt glanced nervously between the TV screens and his phone. Any second now Alex was gonna wake up from the knockout gas and Kato would activate the car. It was getting closer to midnight and everyone was starting to lose hope. The Hornet claimed she'd be dead by midnight if Britt didn't pay, but Britt paid and now the waiting around was just getting ridiculous. Britt noticed Kato start typing feverishly on his phone all of a sudden then stopped and looked directly at Britt. A few seconds later Britt's phone vibrated on the table.

"It's an email!" Britt announced as he opened the message. "'She's on her way-GH.' Let's go." Britt said and stood up and walked out of the conference room. The only plan now was to wait outside of the Sentinel until the car came.

Alex opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. She was in the backseat of a car, she guessed. The windows were very dark and she couldn't see out of them and there was a divider between the front seats and the back. Everything was eerily silent.

"Welcome back Alex." An automated voice said suddenly and Alex yelped.

"Hi?" She responded quietly.

"Please fasten your seat belt." The automated voice said again and Alex fumbled around looking for a belt of some sort. The engine roared to life and began to move once she clicked her belt secure. The car rocketed away from its parked spot then everything inside the car was illuminated in a green tint. Light began to come through the windows and Alex could see the streets of LA flying by her as the car bounced along. She tried to remember the last thing that happened to her. Alex was sitting in the room minding her own business when the partner came in and shot her with knockout gas.

"Oh my god," Alex mumbled as it occurred to her where she was. "I'm in the Black Beauty."

"It's all good Kato?" Britt asked as they walked off the elevator with a few other Sentinel employees.

"Yeah, everything should be ok." Kato answered. Lenore glanced at both of them then rolled her eyes.

"I had nothing to do with this." Lenore mumbled under her breath then shook her head. The only plan now was that security would escort Alex into the Sentinel building, which means they would have to pass through the wall of reporters outside of the Sentinel.

"Hey, can you be careful?" Alex asked as the car jerked into the lane to the right. "Um, hello?" Alex said and realized that there wasn't a driver in the car. "Oh, shit." Alex wanted to cover her eyes and just scream but she couldn't pull herself to do it. The speedometer crept up over 100 and Alex started to grip her seat. A couple sirens sounded from behind her and she saw the flashing lights of police cars approaching. "We're being chased." Alex observed and the car responded by turning right quickly and the pursing police passed them by.

"You're destination is ahead in one mile." The automated voice said and Alex looked out the window to see the Daily Sentinel coming into view.

"Ok," Alex managed to squeak out. She couldn't explain why she was scared, whether it was the no driver or having a double barrel pointed to her head. Or maybe even the fact that Britt cared enough to pay $2 million to get her back. She was just plain scared.

"You have arrived at your destination." The car said as it jerked into the Sentinel driveway and slammed to a stop. Alex held onto her belt then removed it as the back door opened automatically. "Remember Alex, the Green Hornet sends his regards." Alex looked at the dashboard of the car at all the technology then nodded.

"I'll remember, car." Alex responded and she pulled herself out of the car to be greeted by a million flashbulbs and a swarm of policemen. Alex barely saw the Black Beauty rocket away from the Sentinel because she was being escorted into the building. The crowd of reporters were yelling questions at her but they became muffled as she got inside the lobby. Someone, two someones, started running over to her and she just laughed at them.

"Alex!" Britt yelled as he got up to her with Kato nearby.

"I guess I'm worth $2 million then?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, you're my sister." Britt answered.

"Thank you." Alex said then gave him a real hug.

"Anytime Alex." Britt responded.

"But you know what." Alex said and she gestured for them to come closer. "This was really just a desperate attempt to stop me from taking pictures right?" Britt and Kato glanced at each other.

"No," Britt started. "The Green Hornet wanted to kill you because you insulted him." Kato rolled his eyes.

"You guys are really smart, but you're such idiots too." Alex started.

"Alex, don't screw us." Britt said as he saw a few policemen starting to walk over.

"Aha, so you admit it?" Alex asked quickly. Britt groaned and Kato whacked him as the police got closer.

"Yes, I admit it." Britt said.

"We admit it." Kato corrected. "He's the Green Hornet."

"And he's the Orange Hippopotamus." Britt said and laughed. Kato whacked him.

"I told you, hippos aren't orange." Kato said.

"Well Hornets aren't green." Britt protested as they geared up for an argument.

"Guys!" Alex hissed as the police came closer. "Whatever the hell is going on, I want in. OK? Cool Beans." Alex turned to the police who were behind her by now to answer a few questions. Britt and Kato walked away from the area.

"Well that was a fail of a plan." Britt said to Kato and Kato gave him a look that read, 'you're such an idiot.'

"No shit, Hornet." Kato said back to him.

* * *

><p><em>They'll be back, they'll all be back soon. <em>

_Leave me reviews, messages, ideas, thoughts, complaints, recipes for knockout gas, anything you want really._

_So till next time, -ElwynClark_

_PART TWO IS UP NOW! "Another Mask and Some More Knockout Gas"_

_READ IT. Please. Because I love you. All of you. Not in a creepy way, in a, yeah.. I'll shut up now. Please read my stories! Review them too! Because they make me OH SO HAPPY.  
><em>


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